Apparatus for injecting treatment fluids into meats and the like

ABSTRACT

Meat to be pickled, carried on a conveyor, is penetrated by one or more injection needles on a reciprocating carrier which forms a manifold for liquid to be fed to the needle or needles through tubes with individual valves controlling the fluid supply therethrough. The valve associated with each needle, designed to cut off the liquid flow whenever that needle is not inserted into a piece of meat to be treated, may be actuated upon contact of the meat with the needle tip (or with the tip of ancillary needle juxtaposed therewith) by mechanical, fluid-operated or electric means.

United States Patent Hoffmann 1 1 Oct. 3, 1972 [54] APPARATUS FOR INJECTING TREATMENT FLUIDS INTO NIEATS AND THE LIKE [72] Inventor: Louis Adolph Hotfmann, Gerasdorferstrasse 131, A-l210, Vienna, Austria [22] Filed: Aug. 21, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 65,981

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 849,468, Aug.

12, 1969, Pat. No. 3,590,721.

[30] Foreign Application Priority, Data 2,821,901 2/1958 Abrams ..99/257 2,984,170 5/1961 Draudt et a] ..99/257 3,081,691 3/1963 Schmidt Jr ..99/257 3,381,603 5/1968 Jensen et a1. ..99/257 Primary Examiner-Edward L. Roberts Assistant Examiner-Arthur 0. Henderson Attorney-Karl F. Ross [57] ABSTRACT Meat to be pickled, carried on a conveyor, is penetrated by one or more injection needles on a reciprocating carrier which forms a manifold for liquid to be fed to the needle or needles through tubes with individual valves controlling the fluid supply therethrough. The valve associated with each needle, designed to cut off the liquid flow whenever that needle is not inserted into a piece of meat to be treated, may be actuated upon contact of the meat with the needle tip (or with the tip of ancillary needle juxtaposed therewith) by mechanical, fluid-operated or electric means.

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sum 9 or 9 V\ TL v l K v L. A. Hoffman INVENTOR APPARATUS FOR INJECTING TREATMENT FLUIDS INTO MEATS AND THE. LIKE This application is a continuation-in-part of my pending application Ser. No. 849,468 filed 12 August l969,now U.S. Pat. No. 3,590,721.

My present invention relates to an apparatus for treating food and, more particularly, to a system for the injection of pickling liquid into articles of meat or the like.

In my copending application identified above, I have disclosed an apparatus for this purpose including a support for the articles to be pickled, in the form of an intermittently operating transport mechanism or conveyor, co-operating with a needle carrier on which a plurality of needles are displaceable into and out of penetrating engagement with the article to be treated, these needles being connected to a source of liquid to be injected into such article. A holding element, engageable with the article, is connected via a resilient coupling with the needle carrier for entrainment thereby in a manner permitting continued displacement of the needles into the article upon abutment of the holding element thereagainst. A valve assembly responsive to relative movement of the holding-element and the needle carrier establishes a connection to the source of liquid only upon penetration of the needles into the article. The holding element, or stripper, is designed as a frame encompassing the array of needles. lts motion relative to the needle carrier is transmitted to the valve assembly through a linkage which causes the fluid flow to be blocked or unblocked in a predetermined relative position thereof not necessarily coinciding with incipient contact between the piece of meat or other article and the tips of all the needles of the array, particularly if the number of needles is large and (as is generally true of hams, bacons and the like) the article has an irregular surface.

The general object of my present invention, therefore, is to provide an improved apparatus of this description insuring the accurate timing of the fluid supply to each individual needle, thereby preventing the wasteful discharge of fluid before entry of the needle into the tissue or after its withdrawal therefrom. This precise timing also avoids objectionable'foaming and minimizes the risk that surface impurities adhering to the meat may be washed off by the excess brine and returned to the source if, as is usually the case, the brine is recirculated in a closed system.

A more particular object of this improvement is to provide means for cutting off the fluid supply when the needle completely traverses the article or encounters a void in its interior.

Another more specific object is to provide means for so controlling the fluid supply that air and/or a residue of liquid from a previous operating cycle is purged from each needle just prior to penetration in order that fresh liquid is available for each injection.

In accordance with the present invention, the valve means for blocking and unblocking the fluid flow to each needle is disposed in a conduit individual to that needle, this conduit extending from the common needle support to the interior of the needle body and including one or more apertures at the needle tip. The valve means is under the control of anindividual actuator responsive to penetration of an article by the needle tip and withdrawal of that tip from the article for substantially blocking the flow except during insertion of the needle into such article.

In principle, the arrangement just described may be used on a simple injector with a single needle as well as in a large installation with an array of many needles fed from a common source through a manifold on the needle carrier. In either case, the valve actuator may operate mechanically, under fluid pressure or electrically. A mechanical actuator according to the invention preferably includes a spring-loaded element movably mounted on the associated needle, e.g. a sleeve surrounding a portion of that needle remote from its tip. Such a sleeve may define with the needle body a chamber forming part of the conduit means leading from the fluid source to the needle tip, with the valvemeans located at least partly in that chamber. Another mechanical valve actuator may include a stripper which, in contradistinction to the frame surrounding the entire needle array according to my copending application, individually slides on the tip of the associated needle so that a part thereof proximal to the needle forms a valve alternately obstructing and exposing the aperture or apertures thereof, depending on the displacement of the stripper by the piece of meat or other article penetrated by the needle. Alternatively, or in addition, this stripper may also control a shut-off valve in the supply conduit upstream of the needle body.

In a simple arrangement of this nature, the valve mechanism unblocks the fluid flow only in a penetration position in which the sleeve approaches the needle tip, as compared with a closure position wherein the flow is stopped. In such a case, the fluid is discharged only during the forward stroke of the needle, being cut off during the return movement when the needle tip is allowed to move away from the sleeve in response to spring pressure and/or frictional retention by the penetrated article. In a more sophisticated system, however, the sleeve and the needle are free to occupy a third relative position during such withdrawal in which an alternate passage is opened for the delivery of fluid to the needle tip.

A similar three-position arrangement may be realized by connecting the needle with its support by means of an advantageously tubular link which is swingably mounted thereon for oscillation in a limited range in response to the contact pressure or the frictional pull exerted upon the needle by the article to be treated. In the limiting positions of that range, fluid passes through or along the link to the needle; normally the link is biased into an intermediate position in which the flow is blocked.

According to a further advantageous feature, the needle and an associated valve actuator such as the aforementioned sleeve are normally urged by springs or the like into a relative position in which the flow path is open, the spring force being overcome by fluid pressure acting upon a piston-shaped extension of the needle whenever the associated conduit is connected to the source. With the fluid flow to the needle tip throttled to build up a back pressure sufficient to advance the piston into the closure position before any substantial amount of fresh fluid has reached the discharge aperture or apertures, the interior of the needle is purged of air and, possibly, stale residue from a preceding operating'cycle before the needle contacts the next article to be treated.

Fluid-pressure actuation of the needle valve can be accomplished with the aid of an ancillary needle, having an extremity fixed with reference to the tip of the injection needle and proximal thereto, which enters the article alongside that tip and forms a channel for a control fluid blocked upon such entry to generate a pressure differential for displacing the valve. The control fluid may be identical or compatible with the treatment fluid. It is also possible to use the injection needle itself for the generation of such a pressure differential while normally allowing a restricted fluid discharge from the needle and, upon entry of the needle tip into the article to be treated, letting the resulting back pressure completely unblock the fluid flow.

Finally, the needle valve can be electrically actuated by the use of an at least partly conductive needle which, upon contacting a piece of meat or other article having a finite electrical resistance, closes a circuit through a switch controlling the valve.

The above and other features of my invention will be described in detail hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a side-elevational view (partly in section) of a meat-pickling apparatus according to the invention, generally similar to that of my copending application identified above;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken onthe line II II of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are axial sectional views, drawn to a larger scale, of an injector in closed and open position, respectively;

FIGS. 5 and 6 are views similar to FIGS. 3 and 4, showing a modified injector;

FIGS. 7 and 8 are similar views of another modification, shown in two alternate operating conditions;

FIG. 9 is an axial sectional view of an injection needle and an associated ancillary needle forming part of a fluid-pressure-responsive valve actuator;

FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 9 illustrating a modified hydraulic flow controller with a single needle;

FIG. 1 l is a further view similar to FIG. 9, illustrating another type of mechanical flow controller;

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary view of a modification of the assembly of FIG. 1 1;

FIG. 13 is a view similar to FIG. 11, showing still another modification;

FIG. 14 is an axial sectional view of yet a further injector according to the invention;

FIG. 15 is a partly diagrammatic, partly sectional view of an electric flow controller for an injection needle according to the invention; and

FIG. 16 is a side-elevational view (parts broken away) of a mounting for one of the needles illustrated in the preceding Figures.

In FIGS. 1 and 2 I have diagrammatically illustrated a plant generally similar to that disclosed in my prior application Ser. No. 849,468, including a working surface formed by a conveyor 1 here shown as an endless belt. A group of injection needles 3, of a construction described in detail hereinafter, are individually sup ported on a box-shaped carrier 2 for vertical reciprocation therewith. A stripper 4 is suspended from two vertical rods 5 passing through sleeves 6 of needle carrier 2, each of these rods being provided with a fixed but preferably adjustable collar 11 forming a bearing for a coil spring 12 biasing the stripper 4 downwardly, i.e. toward a piece of meat carried on the conveyor 1. Upon contact between the stripper and the meat during the descending stroke of the needle carrier 2, which is vertically reciprocated by a crank drive 13, stripper 4 allows the tips of the needles 3 to penetrate the meat while holding the same firmly clamped against the conveyor 1 which is arrested at that stage.

Needle carrier 2 is rigid with an upright tubular frame 7 which is slidably guided in bearings 8 forming part of the machine frame. Stripper 4 is also advantageously of tubular construction and has the shape of a horizontal frame surrounding the needles 3.

Crank drive 13 is powered by a motor 26 through a speed reducer 27 and a transmission belt 28. The frame 7 and the needle box 2 are positively coupled with that drive, yet the needles 3 are yieldably entrained under the pressure of strong coil springs 14 (see also FIG. 16) resting on collars 30 rigid with tubular stems 3' which form upward extensions of the needles 3. The bottom plate of box 2 is shown provided with relatively large apertures 31 enabling each needle to deflect laterally on encountering a bone or other obstruction.

A source 16 of pickling liquid delivers a flow of brine through the frame 17 to a plurality of parallel flexible conduits 15 terminating at the upper end of the needle stems 3, a pump 19 serving to convey the liquid with sufiicient pressure to inject it through the apertures of the needle tips into the pieces of meat penetrated thereby. Such injection is controlled by valves individual to each needle, as will now be described with reference to succeeding Figures.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show an injection needle 3 having a tubular body 32 provided with a pointed tip and with at least one discharge aperture 34 near thattip, a bore 33 of this needle establishing a flow path between this discharge aperture and an inlet orifice 44 near the top of tube 32. A reinforcing bushing 35 surrounds the upper part of tube 32 and slides in a sleeve 36, a head 46 of this bushing normally resting on a shoulder 48 at the bottom of a chamber 38 which houses a spring 41 bearing from above upon this head. A nipple 40, threaded into the upper end of sleeve 36, is also screwed into the associated stem 3 (see FIGS. 5 and 6) from which the brine enters the chamber 38 through the axial nipple bore 45 which also communicates with several radial bores 43.

In the closure position illustrated in FIG. 3, needle body 32 is extended toward the working surface (i.e. downwardly in the system specifically illustrated) so that inlet 44, which also traverses the bushing 35, is blocked by the sleeve 36 whereby the flow of liquid from channel 45 to bore 33 is cut off. If, now, the needle body 32 is lifted with reference to its holder 36, 40 by the penetration of its tip into a piece of meat aligned therewith, head 46 compresses the spring 41 and lifts off its seat 48 to a sufficient extent to unblock the inlet 44 whereby brine can flow to the aperture or apertures 34 so as to be injected into the meat penetrated by the needle tip.

Upon reversal of the reciprocation of the needle carrier, i.e. during the upward stroke of holder 36, 40,

spring 41 re-expands to close the inlet 44. Engagement, therefore, takes place only in the penetration phase, i.e. during the descent of the needle carrier.

In the embodiments of FIGS. 5 and 6, the needle body comprises an upper tube 32' and a lower tube 32" threadedly interconnected by bushing 35 whose head 46 bears from above upon a coil spring 38, thereby compressing that spring against the bottom 48 of the chamber 38 defined by sleeve 36. Head 46 has an annular shoulder 46' coacting with a similar shoulder 40 on nipple 40 to compress a gasket 52 therebetween when the needle body 32', 32" is in its relatively elevated insertion position illustrated in FIG. 6. In that position, a fluid path is established from stem 3 via radial orifices 44 in tube 32', the bores 33 and 33" of tubes 32' and 32", and discharge apertures 34 into the meat to be treated. This elevated position is maintained automatically by the spring 47 when no pressure fluid is delivered to stem 3', e.g. when the pump 19 (FIG. 1) is stopped; upon resumption of fluid flow into stem 3, some of the brine will flow around an enlarged head 49 of tube 32' and purge the air from channel 33, 33" with possible expulsion therefrom of residual liquid from a preceding cycle. Head 49, however, acts as a piston within stem 3' so that, as soon as sufficient back pressure has built up in the channel 33', 33" as a result of its relatively high flow resistance, the needle body 32, 32" is depressed against the force of spring 47 to close the orifice as an annular shoulder 50 at the top of nipple 40 presses against a gasket 51 underneath head 49 to block the flow. In this readiness position, illustrated in FIG. 5, the valve constituted by the inlet 44 and surrounding structure is as effectively closed as in the position of FIG. 3 relating to the previously discussed embodiment. In this instance, however, the injector is primed with fresh fluid so that injection of liquid rather than air commences promptly upon the relative elevation of the needle body (FIG. 6) as the apertured tip enters the meat to be treated.

Whereas the embodiments of FIGS. 3-6 enable injection to take place only during the forward stroke, I have shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 a modification in which the fluid flow is unblocked during withdrawal as well. In this embodiment the bushing 35 is shown without a head and confronts a flange 53 of a tubular insert 54 formed with external flutes 56 of an axial length greater than that of the nipple 40 in which this insert is slidably received. The head 49 of tube 32 is biased upwardly by another coil spring 54, weaker than spring 47, which bears upon the top of nipple 40.

The position illustrated in FIG. 7 corresponds to the absence of fluid pressure, in the quiescent state of the injector. A port 57 in tube 32' is then blocked by the surrounding insert 54 which is raised by the spring 47 to its highest position whereby the fluid passage formed by the flutes 56 is closed at the bottom of nipple 40. When the liquid flow is turned on, the brine enters the exposed inlet 44 and passes through the discharge aperture 34 while building up a back pressure inside channels 33', 33" as described with reference to the preceding embodiment. This back pressure eventually depresses the pistonlike head 49 within stem 3' (not shown in FIGS. 7 and 8), with compression of spring 65, until this head seats on the top of insert 54, thereby cutting off the aforedescribed flow path through inlet 44. The needle is now in a readiness position comparable to that of FIG. 5.

Upon incipient penetration of a piece of meat by the needle tip, needle body 32', 32" is raised with reference to its holder 36, 40 into the original position of FIG. 7 so that the fluid pumped into the stem 3 can exit at aperture 34. When the needle stroke reaches its lower dead-center position, the fluid pressure acting on head 49 momentarily restores the intermediate position of the parts in which the flow is blocked. As the needle begins its ascent, its frictional retention by the meat causes a further compression of spring 55 whereby head 49, through gasket 51, depresses the insert 54 against the force of spring 47 as illustrated in FIG. 8. Flutes 56 now give clearance to the passage of fluid through nipple 40 into valve chamber 38 whence the liquid can flow through the now exposed port 57 toward outlet 34. Upon the complete detachment of the needle tip from the meat, the aforedescribed intermediate position is restored.

FIG. 9 illustrates the possibility of utilizing hydraulic or pneumatic pressure in detecting the penetration of a piece of meat or the like by the tip of a needle body 32. An ancillary needle 58, of the same length, is closely juxtaposed with needle 3 and has an outlet port 66 near its pointed lower extremity. The two needles depend from a cylinder 59 rigid therewith, this cylinder accommodating a piston 61 with a peripheral groove 62. A spring 60 biases the piston 61 into its illustrated blocking position in which the flow of brine from an inlet tube 64 (coupled to or replacing the stem 3' of preceding Figures) to the needle body 32 is interrupted. Another inlet tube 63 originates at a source of pressure fluid which may be identical with the brine supplied to tube 64 but which could also be air, water or any other medium compatible therewith.

Normally, with the fluid flow into cylinder 59 by way of tube 63 turned on, piston 61 is repressed against the force of spring 60 to an extent sufficient to let this control fluid escape through outlet 66 of needle 58 with establishment of a relatively low pressure acting upon the right-hand face 65 of the piston. As soon as the descent of the needle carrier blocks the outlet 66, this pressure is substantially increased so that piston 61 is driven further to the left and establishes a connection between tubes 46 and 32. It should be noted that the illustrated closure position is restored whenever the tip of needle 58 encounters a void 93' in a piece of meat 93 (FIG. 15) or when the needle is withdrawn from the meat just treated. In this case, therefore, injection takes place as long as the two juxtaposed needle tips are surrounded by solid tissue.

FIG. 10 shows a modification of the fluid-pressureactuated injector just described, with elimination of the ancillary needle 58. Needle body 32, slidable with its surrounding bushing 35 in a sleeve 36 substantially in the manner shown in FIGS. 3-8, terminates below a radial port 68 of bushing 35 which is rigid with a piston head 67 and with a tube 71 forming an upward extension of this bushing. The bore 69 of tube 71 connects port 68 with the inlet orifice just below a head 73 of that tube, this head again acting as a piston responsive to fluid pressure in stem 3 to depress the needle body 32. A gasket 74 then comes to rest on a shoulder 50' of nipple 40 which, however, forms a clearance giving restricted access to orifice 70 so that the brine can flow at a reduced rate toward aperture 34 when the injector has been moved into its readiness position upon the starting of the supply pump.

As long as outlet 34 remains unobstructed, this readiness position will not change. When, however, the needle tip enters a piece of meat, the back pressure building up in channel 33 is communicated to the chamber 38 below piston head 67 so that the assembly 32, 35, 67, 71, 73 is raised into the illustrated operating position whereby brine can flow at an increased rate from stem 3' through inlet 70 and channels 69, 33 to outlet 34.

The embodiment of FIG. 10 also allows injection to take place during the withdrawal stroke, provided the friction between the needle and the meat is not so great as to entrain the needle body downwardly into the throttling position first described.

FIG. 11 shows another mechanical flow controller according to my invention wherein a stripper disk 75 forms a self-actuated valve normally obstructing the outlet 34 at the tip of needle body 32. Disk 75 is urged downwardly along the needle by a coil spring 76, its bottom position being established by a draw bar 77 which is fixed to the disk and freely traverses a bore 79 in a plate 78 rigid with sleeve 36. A screw 77 abuts the plate 78 from above while the spring 76 bears upon its lower surface.

Disk 75 operates essentially in the manner of the stripper frame described in my copending application Ser. No. 849,468, except for the fact of being individually associated with a single needle whose discharge end is blocked unless the disk comes to rest on the surface of a piece of meat or the like penetrated by that needle.

FIG. 12 shows a modification of the arrangement of FIG. 11 wherein the disk 75 is formed with the hub 81 engaged by the lowest turn of spring 76 to help maintain a coaxial position of the disk with reference to the associated needle holder.

FIGS. 13 shows a generally similar injector wherein a rod 84, taking the place of draw bar 77 of FIG. 11, is used to control a second valve 82 in sleeve 36 via an arm 83. In the normal relative position of disk 75 and plate 78, upstream valve 82 is closed while the outlet 34 is also blocked; when the disk 75 is raised toward plate 78, the flow path is opened at both locations so that injection can take place. Naturally, valve 82 could also be used to control the flow if outlet 34 were not obstructed by the disk, e.g. if this outlet were located farther down along the conical needle tip so that injec tion could commence earlier.

FIG. 14 shows another embodiment enabling injection during both the penetration and the withdrawal phase, the needle 3 being here coaxially surrounded by a supporting sleeve 85 and having a collar 86 under pressure from two springs 14', 14" inserted between this collar and respective ends of the sleeve. The latter is rigid with a tubular link 87 terminating ata horizontal pipe 88 fixedly secured thereto; pipe 88 coaxially surrounds a pipe 89 which forms part of the frame 7 and receives treatment fluid through one of the uprights thereof. Two spring 92', 92", bearing upon a lug 111 rigid with the frame and upon a pair of arms 112', 112" extending from pipe 88, tend to maintain a predetennined relative position of the nested pipes in which a port in inner pipe 89 is out of register with two ports 91, 91" in outer pipe 88.

When, upon contact of the tip of needle 3 with a piece of meat, the needle and its holder move upwardly with reference to frame 7, tube 87 swings counterclockwise into a limiting position in which port 90 is aligned with port 91" so that the brine can pass through conduit 15 into the interior of needle 3, Similarly, ports 90 and 91 are aligned when the needle is pulled down by its frictional engagement with the meat during the withdrawal stroke so that tube 87 is swung clockwise into an alternate limiting position. 1

Pipe 89 may be considered a horizontal branch of frame 7, acting as a manifold, whereas pipe 88 is one of several relatively short tube sections individual to respective needles 3 supported on pipe 89 with the.aid of several generally parallel links 87.

FIG. 15 shows an electrically controlled injector according to the invention wherein the metallic body 32 of needle 3 is encased in an insulating layer 94 except for an exposed lower end of the needle. A supply of electric energy, generally designated 103, is connected across a source of alternating current 102 working through a transformer 104 into a controller 95 including an electromagnetic or electronic relay for the closure of a circuit breaker diagrammatically illustrated at 99. The operating circuit of the relay of controller 95 includes a first conductor 100, connnected by way of the conductive sleeve 36 with needle body 32, and a second conductor 101 which may be grounded and which forms a return lead to the piece of meat 93 resting on working surface 1.

Circuit breaker 99 normally opens the energizing circuit of a solenoid 97 which includes another a-c source 98 and whose armature 96 acts as a valve in a partition between the supply manifold of frame 7 and the conduit 15 individually serving the needle 3. Thus, the flow path is open only upon the closure of circuit 100, 101 by contact between the needle tip and the meat 93; owing to the insulating covering 94, this circuit is again broken when the needle passes through the meat so as to enter the void 93'. In this system, therefore, injection also takes place during both the forward and the return stroke but only as long as the needle tip is in contact with the meat.

It will thus be seen that the improved treatment apparatus according to my invention enables accurate and individual timing of the fluid flow into the article to be treated, with precise dosing of the flow rate passible by an adjustable mounting of the several springs or equivalent biasing means used in the system. In this connection it should be noted that the mounting springs 14 or 14', 14" for the individual needles should be substantially stronger than those controlling the injection so as not to interfere with the proper operation of the valve-actuating means. Though the various springs are advantageously encased for purposes of protection, as described and illustrated, they could also be mounted externally of the needle-guiding structure for easier accessibility.

Naturally, the needles need not move vertically as particularly illustrated but could be given any other orientation compatible with the path of the articles to be treated.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for injecting fluid into meats and the like, comprising:

conveyor means for the transportation of articles to be treated;

a support reciprocable generally transversely with reference to said conveyor means in juxtaposed relationship therewith;

injector means on said support including at least one hollow needle with a tip having at least one aperture for the discharge of a treatment fluid;

a source of such treatment fluid connected to said support;

conduit means including the interior of said needle and said aperture for the conveyance of said treatment fluid from said support to said tip;

valve means coacting with said conduit means for blocking and unblocking and the flow of said treatment fluid therethrough;

and actuating means for said valve means responsive to penetration of an article by said tip and withdrawal of said tip from said article for substantially blocking said flow except during insertion of said needle into such article, said actuating means including a spring-loaded sleeve movably mounted on said needle and surrounding a portion thereof remote from said tip.

2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein sleeve defines with said needle a chamber forming part of said conduit means, said valve means being at least partly located in said chamber.

3. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said sleeve is relatively remote from said tip in a closure position and relatively close thereto in a penetration position, said valve means including an orifice in said portion communicating with said source in said penetration position but not in said closure position.

4. An apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said needle and said sleeve further have a withdrawal position in which said sleeve is more remote from said tip than in said closure position, said valve means including a passage opening into said chamber and communicating with said source in said withdrawal position.

5. An apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said valve means includes a channel bushing interposed between said needle and said sleeve for independent axial movement, said bushing being entrainable by said needle upon withdrawal thereof from a penetrated article for establishing said passage, further comprising biasing means normally to maintaining said bushing in an inoperative position.

6. An apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said sleeve is provided with spring means tending to maintain said needle and said sleeve in said insertion position, said needle being provided with piston means in said conduit means for moving said needle and said sleeve into said closure position against the force of said spring means in response to fluid pressure from said source and in the absence of a countervailing force due to introduction of said tip into an article to be treated.

7. An apparatus for injecting fluid into meats and the like, comprising:

conveyor means for the transportation of articles to be treated;

a support reciprocable generally transversely with reference to said conveyor means in juxtaposed relationship therewith;

injector means on said support including at least one hollow needle with a tip having at least one aperture for the discharge of a treatment fluid; a source of such treatment fluid connected to said support; conduit means including the interior of said needle and said aperture for the conveyance of said treatment fluid from said support to said tip; valve means coacting with said conduit means in response to penetration of an article by said tip and withdrawal of said tip from said article for substantially blocking the flow of said treatment fluid through said conduit means except during insertion of said needle into such article; and stripper yieldably positioned on said support to bear upon said article preparatorily to penetration thereof by said needle, said stripper being traversed by the tip of said needle.

8. An apparatus defined in claim 7 wherein said valve means includes a part of said stripper obstructing said aperture in the absence of an article penetrated by said needle.

9. An apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein said valve means further includes a shutter upstream of said needle mechanically linked with said stripper.

10. An apparatus as defined in claim 7, further comprising actuating means for said valve means independent of said stripper.

11. An apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein said actuating means comprises a link carrying said needle on said support and movable relatively to the latter, said valve means being located at the junction of said link with said support.

12. An apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein said link is tubular and forms part of said conduit means, said valve means including two relatively rotatable nested pipes rigid with said support and with said link, respectively, and provided with openings communicating in two extreme position of a range of relative rotation, said valve means further comprising biasing means tending to maintain said pipe, in an intermediate position of said range.

13. An apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein said actuating means comprises a supply of electric energy, conductor means including said needle for establishing an electric circuit across said supply upon contact between said tip and said article, and switch means in said circuit.

14. An apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein said actuating means comprises a member responsive to fluid pressure in a path blocked by said article upon incipient penetration thereof by said tip.

15. An apparatus as defined in claim 14 wherein said actuating means comprises a tube fixedly positioned with reference to said needle and provided with a penetrating extremity proximal to said tip, said path passing through said tube.

16. An apparatus as defined in claim 14 wherein said path terminates at said tip and communicating with said source via an inlet partly obstructed by said valve means in a normal position, said member being a piston responsive to back pressure in said path for moving said valve member into an off-normal position completely unblocking said inlet.

17. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said needle is resiliently mounted on said support. 

1. An apparatus for injecting fluid into meats and the like, comprising: conveyor means for the transportation of articles to be treated; a support reciprocable generally transversely with reference to said conveyor means in juxtaposed relationship therewith; injector means on said support including at least one hollow needle with a tip having at least one aperture for the discharge of a treatment fluid; a source of such treatment fluid connected to said support; conduit means including the interior of said needle and said aperture for the conveyance of said treatment fluid from said support to said tip; valve means coacting with said conduit means for blocking and unblocking and the flow of said treatment fluid therethrough; and actuating means for said valve means responsive to penetration of an article by said tip and withdrawal of said tip from said article for substantially blocking said flow except during insertion of said needle into such article, said actuating means including a spring-loaded sleeve movably mounted on said needle and surrounding a portion thereof remote from said tip.
 2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein sleeve defines with said needle a chamber forming part of said conduit means, said valve means being at least partly located in said chamber.
 3. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said sleeve is relatively remote from said tip in a closure position and relatively close thereto in a penetration position, said valve means including an orifice in said portion communicating with said source in said penetration position but not in said closure position.
 4. An apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said needle and said sleeve further have a withdrawal position in which said sleeve is more remote from said tip than in said closure position, said valve means including a passage opening into said chamber and communicating with said source in said withdrawal position.
 5. An apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said valve means includes a channel bushing interposed between said needle and said sleeve for independent axial movement, said bushing being entrainable by said needle upon withdrawal thereof from a penetrated article for establishing said passage, further comprising biasing means normally to maintaining said bushing in an inoperative position.
 6. An apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said sleeve is provided with spring means tending to maintain said needle and said sleeve in said insertion position, said needle being provided with piston means in said conduit means for moving said needle and said sleeve into said closure position against the force of said spring means in response to fluid pressure from said source and in the absence of a countervailing force due to introduction of said tip into an article to be treated.
 7. An apparatus for injecting fluid into meats and the like, comprising: conveyor means for the transportation of articles to be treated; a support reciprocable generally transversely with reference to said conveyor means in juxtaposed relationship therewith; injector means on said support including at least one hollow needle with a tip having at least one aperture for the discharge of a treatment fluid; a source of such treatment fluid connected to said support; conduit means including the interior of said needle and said aperture for the conveyance of said treatment fluid from said support to said tip; valve means coacting with said conduit means in response to Penetration of an article by said tip and withdrawal of said tip from said article for substantially blocking the flow of said treatment fluid through said conduit means except during insertion of said needle into such article; and a stripper yieldably positioned on said support to bear upon said article preparatorily to penetration thereof by said needle, said stripper being traversed by the tip of said needle.
 8. An apparatus defined in claim 7 wherein said valve means includes a part of said stripper obstructing said aperture in the absence of an article penetrated by said needle.
 9. An apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein said valve means further includes a shutter upstream of said needle mechanically linked with said stripper.
 10. An apparatus as defined in claim 7, further comprising actuating means for said valve means independent of said stripper.
 11. An apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein said actuating means comprises a link carrying said needle on said support and movable relatively to the latter, said valve means being located at the junction of said link with said support.
 12. An apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein said link is tubular and forms part of said conduit means, said valve means including two relatively rotatable nested pipes rigid with said support and with said link, respectively, and provided with openings communicating in two extreme position of a range of relative rotation, said valve means further comprising biasing means tending to maintain said pipe, in an intermediate position of said range.
 13. An apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein said actuating means comprises a supply of electric energy, conductor means including said needle for establishing an electric circuit across said supply upon contact between said tip and said article, and switch means in said circuit.
 14. An apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein said actuating means comprises a member responsive to fluid pressure in a path blocked by said article upon incipient penetration thereof by said tip.
 15. An apparatus as defined in claim 14 wherein said actuating means comprises a tube fixedly positioned with reference to said needle and provided with a penetrating extremity proximal to said tip, said path passing through said tube.
 16. An apparatus as defined in claim 14 wherein said path terminates at said tip and communicating with said source via an inlet partly obstructed by said valve means in a normal position, said member being a piston responsive to back pressure in said path for moving said valve member into an off-normal position completely unblocking said inlet.
 17. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said needle is resiliently mounted on said support. 